ahhh the abs. . .

Abs. They are the hardest things to tone! I am 5'7" and 140 pounds. I do a lot of cardio...I play tennis and then I'll come home and run on the treadmill. I can usually jog two miles without stopping! At first I could only run about a lap. Victory is mine! After that I do sprints for another two miles and as a cooldown I'll walk a mile so I average 3-5 miles which I'll do about 5 times a week. It's melted off some of my fat thanks to all that running but now I am stuck with my belly. It just sticks out! It's where all my fat decides to hang out after I eat I swear to God. I do a lot of crunches and ab exercises but I'm not feeling the burn. Should I even feel a burn? What am I doing wrong? What kind of exercises would be best to work the abs? I have tried about a thousand and one different ab exercises. Please help! Thanks :)

when the fat is gone you will see them, it just happens that in many people the last place to go is from the stomach area. Be patient and keep workin hard especially in your diet.

One word.

Easy. (unless there is a biological reason)

The hard part is getting into and sticking to the routine, well actually, lifestyle.

Before doing anything, find out your calorie requirements. Remember, it's different for adults and people who are still growing.

1. Spread out your food consumption in 6 - 8 small meals a day. I eat 7 meals (when I actually stick to it). Your body will be less likely to store extra fat when you eat like this.

2. Work your biggest muscles, these will most likely be your legs. I suggest cycling, as it is supposedly gentler on the knees. And motion wise, it's more fluid and continuous than running. Don't know how to cycle? Try stationary cycle, or learn. This might give muscular legs, but from what I read, most women won't have enough ?growth hormones? to bulk up as much men. So a bit of bulk but not as much men.

3. Do your math. Keep track of your calorie intake from food and calories burned from major exercises (there are charts, approximate is fine). Most places suggest 500 calories less than your requirement, but never go below 1200 (adult women) and 1500 (adult men). All I can say is that even with just 100 calories less than your requirement, it will do its magic. It will take longer but at the same it will be easier on your body.

4. Give your body time change. Or else. There may be a chance of loose skin and/or stretch marks. Abs with loose skin does not really look good.

5. Accept the fact that it will take time for the changes to happen.

See, easy.

The hardest one would be number 5. Because it's what disappoints, kills your motivation, and ultimately give you a reason to give up.

I used to be just like you.  Get off the treadmil and get into the weight room!  Seeing abs are simply a function of having low body fat.  For a women, you will show abs at around 15-18% body fat or lower.  Building mucle is essential and all the running you are doing is actually counter productive to your efforts.

See:  The new rules of lifting for women.

Original Post by ktaylor17:

What kind of exercises would be best to work the abs?

Fork put-downs and table push-aways, followed by squats and deadlifts.

Everyone seems to be forgetting a very important rule...

EAT CLEAN.

The surest way to uncover your abs (paired with weight training). If you want it you have to give up processed foods. Just doing ab exercises alone with tons of cardio seriously won't make it happen.